USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon County, Ill. > Part 1
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02975 5318
Gc 977.301 Sa5k Knapp, Charles Ellsworth, [History of Sangamon County, Ill . ]
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MATERIAL COMPILED BY MRS. CHARLES ELLSWORTH KNAPP BISTCRIAN SPRINGFIELD CHAPTER D. A. R. in response to suggestions from MRS. CHARLES E. DAVIDSON State Historian D. A. R. 1920 - 1921
Grateful acknowledgment is hereby made for the use of books and maps at the State Historical Library, and for many helpful suggestions from the librarians.
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Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 1 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
THE FOUNDING OF SANGAK OK. COUNTY.
For a number of years previous to 1821 the territory known as Sangamon County, or "The Sangamc Country," embraced parts of what are now known as Christian, Macon, MeLean, Woodford, Marshall and Putnam counties, and all of Logan, Tazewell, Lason, Lenard, and Cass counties.
Later it was reduced to an area of 876 square miles in the cen- tral part of the state, and on January 30, 1821, Sangamon County was created by an act of legislature.
At that time the land was virgin soil with wooded belts along the streams.
The first white man had settled here only for years previously. Shadrach Bond was Governor of the state, and Iferro Londre Lieu- tenant Governor.
The first county commissioners were William Drennan, Zachariah Feter, and Rivers Cormack. They tock the oath of office in the home of John Kelly on Tuesday, April 3, 1621.
Their first official act was the appointment of a cheri.
Charles R. Metheny was honored with the position, and after being duly sworn in "entered into bord with James Latham for the faithful performance of his duties."
During the year he was allowed {87.50 for salary and for stationery furnished.
BRIEF SKETCHES OF SOME NOTED MEN AND TOWER CF SANGALION CO.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN was a character too great to sketch in a few words, and too well known to need any words.
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Eiten Gochanser
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofsangamo00knap
FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The first white settlement in Sangamon county was in the fall of 1817 when Robert Pulliam built a log cabin about ten and one-half miles south of Springfield on S. W. } Sec. 21, T. 14, N. R. 5 W. 3rd P. M in what is now Ball township.
Ist grant of The first grant of land was made to Israel Archer land. on November 6, 1823.
It was the west half of R. W. 2 . section 8, township 14, north of range 14 west.
Mason Fowler made a second entry on the same day.
On November 7, 1823 entries were made by Elijch Iles, Thomas Cox, John Taylor and Pascal P. Enos. Elijah Iles entered the S. W. ¿ of section 27; Thomas Cox the S. E. ¿ of sec. 28; John Taylor the I !. E. } of section 33, and Pascal P. Enos the N. W. } of Rec. 34.
Colonel Thomas Cox came to Springfield in 1823, having been ap- 1 pointed by President Monroe a Legister of the Land office at this place.
Eileen Sochenon
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ISTICOISM IN SARGACI COUNTY.
First preacher.
Location of first church.
The first religious society organized in Sangamon county was the Lethedist society. It was organised in 1821 by Ser. John Glauville at the home of Charles 3. Latheny. The meetings were held in Er. Latheny's home or office until a schoolhouse was built.
The Ist. church is erected on the corner of 5th and Wonrce con lote donated by Pascal F. Encs in 1830. Springfield charge was part of Sangamon circuit until 1833 when it became a station.
The second church building was erected on the southeast corner of Fifth and Monroe streets in 1851. The present edifice was erected in 1884 at the north- east corner of Fifth street and Capitol Avenue.
The first Methodist sermon in the Sangamon country was preached by Lov. James Simme, an itinerent preacher.
Eileen Sochaim
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FIRST SCHOOL AND FIRST TEACHER.
Zimri Ence, in a paper read before the State Historical Society in May, 1909, is authority for the statement that the first schoolhouse in Sangamon county res a round log cabin situated on the top of the hill on the north side of what is now Washington street and between Pas- field and Leris streets. Its dimensions were 14 by 16 feet, with door on the east side, a stick and mud chimney at the north end, and one log cut out some 6 cr 8 feet on both the south and west sides for windows, and clabs for benches, and rough boards for desks.
The first teacher, Andrew Crr began to teach in 1801.
FIRST DOCTOR IN SANGANICH COUNTY.
Dr. Gershom Jayne was the first doctor in Sangamon county and the first to locate in the district north of Alten and Edwardsville, and west of Chicago. Je came into .this territory in 1820.
Taken from an article written by Dr. George ". Treider in the History of S .ngamon county pub- lished in 1912.
FIRST NEWSPAPER.
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Sincon Francis founded the Sangamo Journal in 1831. It became the State Journel in 1855. .
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Eileen Hochavour
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MATERIAL FOR FIRST RAILROAD.
In 1830 Wm. J. Entledge ran a sawmill at Spring Creek and sawed stringers used in laying the first railroad track in Illinois.
Powers History, Page 11.
FIRST LAWYER IN SANGAMON COUNTY.
By an act approved Feb. 11: 1821, Sangamon county with St. Clair. Madison, Groene, Fike and L'ontgomory counties, constituted the first judicial circuit in Illinois.
The first term of the Songaron Circuit Court was held Tay 7, 1821, at the home of John Kelly on the present site of Springfield.
First Lawyer. James Adams is said to have been the first attorney-at-law to settle in the county. He was a native of Hartford. Conn., born in 1803. After having srent his boyhood in Cswere, N. Y., he came to Springfield in 1821. In 1823 he was appointed Justice of the Feece. Je Inter served in the Finnebago and Black Lark Fars, and in 1841 was elected Probate Judge.
He died Aug. 11, 1843.
From an article written by Lon. James A. Connolly for the History of Sangamon county, published in 1912.
Eilen Lochauny
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FIRST MARRIAGE AGC CED.
Sangamon County.
I de certify that I sclermired the marriage
of William Loss and Peggy Cims co the 20 day of April 1821.
Abraham Sinnard J. F.
recorded July 20 1827
c. R. Latheny, CIL. No. 1
The above marriage record is the first recorded in Sangamon county and is on file in the County Clerk's office in Springfield, Illinois.
As there were people by the name of Sims in the county in 18 1 but none by the name of Cims, so far as known, the family name of the bride was probably misspelled in the record.
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Dilen Suchenour
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THE FIRST LARLIAGE OF WHITE FEGLE IN SALG S'EN COUNTY.
In 1819 L'rs. Abigail Stillman, a widow, living with her family of eight children in Canandaigua. I'. Y., determined to seek a home in the beautiful, fertile Illinois territory of which she had heard through travelers from the west.
Fer four daughters and four sons had been given the best educa- tional advantages of their day, and the mother decided to tore them to a larger field of opportunity where land could be had for the asking.
On the westward journey the; stopped at Morganfield, Ky., in the summer of 1819 and there raised a crop cf corn and vegetables for the coming winter.
While in Morganfield the family met young Fhilo Beers, a native of Foodbary, Conn., whe at that time was prospecting in western Kontucky, southern Illinois and parts of Lisscuri.
In the spring of 1820 the Stillman family came up into Illinois and settled on a tract of land in what is now Williams township. Sangamon connty.
Er. Ecere came north scon after this and lecare a resident of Carl: le, Illinois. He was a frequent visiter in the stillmon home. and on November 2, 1850 he married Marthe Stillman. They were the first white courle married within the rounds of Fint later became Sangamon county. At that time the Songamc country was still a part of Ladison county, so the marslare license was cht ined in Edvards- ville on Cet. 27, 1850. It bore the number 279 and was signed by B. E. Hoffman, Clerk. The wedding ceremony was performed by Rev. Stephen England.
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Eilen Lochenour
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The first L'arriage of White Feople in Sangamon Co. - 2-
Mr. Beers sat for Washington county in the State General · Assembly in the winter of 1824-5. Soon after this he came to San- gamon county, and Inter cane to Springfield and built the first brick dwelling house in the city at the corner of Fifth and Madison streets.
L'r. and L'rs. Beers were charter members of the Christian church organized in Springfield in 1833.
The above facts wore taken from & peper written by Charles P. Tano, a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Beers, and read before the State Tioterical Society in 1905, and published in the volume of proceed- inge the next year.
Esten Gochanour
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FIEST DEED.
S. Furviance to This indenture made the twentieth Day of April in Jones in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven between David S. Furviance and Elizabeth his wife of the one part and Clayborne Jones of the other port all of Sangamon county. State of Illinois witnesseth That the said David S. Forviance and Elizabeth His wife for an in consideration of the Sum of one hundred Dollars to them in hand paid by the said Claybourne Jones the roceipt whereby is hereby acknowledged hath granted bar- gained and Sold unto Claybourne Jones Fis heirs and assigns forever all our right title interest and claim of in and to the wost half of the south East Quarter of Section thirtyfour township seventeen north of Mange Seven west together with all the rights Privileges and hereditaments thereunto belonging to the the only proper use of the said Claybourne Jones his heirs Executors and assigns forever and further said David S Turviance & Elisabeth His wife doth agree on their part to warrant and forever defend the aforesaid rremises and crer; part thereof unto Claybourne Jones his heirs and aosirne crainst all persons claiming by from them or any of them by from any ot' or person or persons whatever In witness whereof the portico of the first part have hereunto Set their hands and Seals the Day abovo vriten in procence of us D. S Purviance Seal Elisal th Furvianco Sesl Dallas Scott
Stato of Illinois
Personally appeared
Sangamon Count"
before mo Abraham Sinnard one of the Justices of the peace in and for said county barid S Furviance who ockno: leged that He did voluntarily sign Secl and deliver the within Geleen Bochum
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First Deed
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Deod for the purposes heroin Specified also personally appeared Elizabeth Furviance wife of the said David S Parviance and being ex- amined Separate and apart from the husband the within Dead to be her voluntary net and Decd without threste or persuasion in testimony hereof I have horeunto Set my hand and Soul this twentieth Day of April Eighteen hundred and twenty Seven
ibrahan Sinnard Justice of the peace
Recorded Lug 30th 1827
Edward Mitchell 2 S C
PLe abive deed is a copy of the first che recorded in Sangamon county and is on file in the recorder's office in the Sangemen County Courthouse, Springfield, Illinois.
In the ours the stolling. punctustien, end capitalization are the same as in the criging1.
Eileen Hodowom
THE
FIRST FILL RECORDED IR SANGALION COUNTY.
Springfield Aug 6 1821
Tho Court Let agreeable to ad journment present -- Jas. Latham --
In the nome of God Amen I Poter Lanterman of the County of Sangamo and State of Illinois being of sound and perfect l'ind and l'emory do make and publish this my Lest will and Testament in manner following (that is to say) first I give and Bequeath Unto my Daughter Sophiah now Sophiah Linser the sum of five Dollars
I give and Bequeath unto my son John Lentermen the sum of five Dollars
I give unto my son Daniel the sum of five Dollars & I give and Bequeath to my Son James five Dollars and my will is that the above named Legacies be paid as soon as may be after my Decease out of N'y personal Estate By will is further that after my Body is decently - Buryed and my funeral Expenses paid that all My personal Estate ex- cept ny farming utensils to be Equally divided between my three Children Now remaining with me To wit /bram Poter and 'lletty my 1 will is that my beloved wife be supported off of my farm and fermier utensils and at the decease of my beloved wife thet my farm and forming utensils be equally divided my Sons Abram and Peter ty will is further that should my Sister in Low Mary Applegate not be otherwise provided for that my said two sons Abraham and Peter and my soid daughter Alletty shall take care of and provide for Ly soid Sister in law Lary Applegate out of the estate hereby bonunathed them. I do hereby eproint Ly Tro Sons Abram Lenterman and Peter Lontorman Execu- ters of this my last will and testement end enjoin it on them to see
Eileen Sochouour
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The First Fill Recorded in Sangamon County. (cont.)
every part thereof carryed into according to the true intent and meaning thereof
In witness that the the foregoing is my last will and tests- ment I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the 4th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and twenty one note the interlineation was made before Signing
Peter Lan terman Seal
Signed Sealed published and declared by the above named Peter Lanterman to be his last will and testament in the presence of ns who have hereunto Subscribed our nomes as witness in the presence of the testator - 1
Charles R L'o thony Goorge " Kelly
Stato of Illinois Sangamon Count; Personally cum before me tre subscriber James Inthem Judge of the Court of Probate for said county Charles & Latheny & George Kelly vic being duly sworn on the holy Evangelist of Almighty God declared and said that the foregoing will is the Last will and testament of said leter Lanterman deceased testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Stringfield the 6 day of August 1821 and of the Independence 46th
Jas & Je them Sec1 Sangamon County Courthouse, Springfield, Illinois.
The foregcing will is on file in t'e Frobate Court room
In this copy of the will. the spelling, capitalisation end punctuation are the same as in the criginal. .
Pilen Hochausen
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Revolutionary soldier
Daughter Bill
Date of name of husband
where buried .
Enos Campbell
laisse
april 28, 1808
Jacob Gard
Buried in Old Sacket. cemetery 2 miles norite of Salisbury on the old Garrett farm.
Ezekiel Harrison
Lucinda March 13 Per. Theophilus Dret 1792
Buried about 2 miles meet of salisbury on the old Harrison home place
Thomas Massie
Frances &.
June 25 1802
William Ralston &
Morgan cemetery South of Farmingdale
William Ralston
Emily
Dec. 30 1831
Jacob J. Brown:
Morgan cemetery south of Farmingdale
John Purriance matilda
may 3 1816
madison a. Cartwright (sou of Peter Cartwright)
Buried in the cemetery in Pleasant Plains
Thomas Royal
Rebecca July 30 1/8/2
Jacob Boyd
Brunk cemetery Cotton Hill township
Eileen
REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS BURIED IR SANGAT ON COUNTY.
. RAMES
PLACES CF BURIAL
Isaac Beker
Korterville Cemetery. Ecchester t''p.
12. T'oses Broadwell
Cak Ridre
Springfield
George Bryan
Woodside
John Furton
Chathan
3. Encs Campbell
Salisbury
Cak Hill H
Clear Lake trp
Christian Carver Philip Crowder
R. .8. Aquilla Davis
Wolf Creek Ceretery, "illiams twp.
Family burying ground near Riverton. Gardner twp.
Buried on farm where he settled . about
two miles west of Salisbury, Cartwright Swp Chatham Cemetery
CId Sulem n
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north of Fiddle fill. n
Joel Waxey
Feter Millington John Foake
Zion Cemetery,
Cotton Fill trp.
Cld Salishury Cometory
Richland Cemetery
Cartwright twp."
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Cumberland
near Glenarm
Richland "
Cartwright tw . Ceriner twe. one
Hormon
mile south of Farmingdale.
Thomas Royal
Brunk Cemetery
Ball twp.
John Stringfield-ferns
Terne Fancy Croel: twr.
William Cascady
Rochester " Traditional Socere ."
James Waddell
Rochester "Traditional Leccri ."
Mr. Pettus
Woodside ""
"Traditional Record"
Buried in Bethel Cometery about two miles northwest of Ploasant Plains.
His great-grand-daughter, Irs. John B. George of Spring Hold. states that he enlisted in the Revolutionary army in New Jersey and served with diotinetien, but the records of his servicos vore burned in for Jersey and are not recorded in "ashington. (ne cf his descendants has a newspaper clipping telling of his Revolu- .tionary record, and clder members of the family have clear recollections of coaing hic Revolutionary army uniform years arc.
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12. v13. -14. .15. 16. 17. 18. 129. 20. 21. 222.
Tilliam Fenny
Goorge Tulliam
John Turvines
William Aniston
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James Dingman James Haggard
Ezekiel Harrison
John Lockridge Thomas l'essie
124. 25. 26.
Abi jah Smith
Eileen Gochamoun
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Family buying ground west of Springfield
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The following Revolutionary soldiers died in Sangamon county and are probably buriod hore, bet place is not known.
Bazil Clark died in Salisbury township in 1840. Michael Clifford - died in 1855.
Robert Fisk
Filliom Hcile
killed by Incisns in 1832.
Thomas Jaros
Mied in Rochester, l'or. 2, 1833.
John White
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died in
1853.
Since Ire. Harriet Faller's book ."Eevolutionary Soldiers Buried in Illinois" was published in 1917, it has been found that four of the Revolutionary sciciers supposed to be buried in Sergamen county were buried elserhere. They are:
Abram Lucas
-- buried in-Stremberger Cemetery, 4 miles contheast of
Mt. Pulceki, in Logan county.
Zachariah Nance - Fonare county John (verstreet -- Lenard county John Purley -- Logan county
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REAL LAUGHTRES BURIED IN SACARCHI CO.
1. irs. Phoebe D. Cleveland (ak Midre, Springfield. bethel Cemetery, about two 2. Rhoda Smith Tomlin miles northwest of Pleasent Plains. 3. = Elizabeth Smith Vane --- buried near Milliancrille.
(Irs. Ehoda Smith Tomlin and ! re. Vane were daughters of Abijah Smith, and great-sunte of ire. John F. Coorte of Springfield. )
Pilen Jochenour
INDIAES IN SANGAT CE COUNTY.
The histories of the early anys of Illincis tell of many and various tribes of Indians that had lived and waged wars within the present boundaries of the stere.
In "The Early History of the Sangamon Country" written by John G. Henderson in 1873 he states that the Sangamon country ( which was many times larger than Sangamon county ) was bounded as follows: "On the north by the Sangamon river, on the west by Ill:ncis river. on the south by Apple Creek; and it extended to the east fifty cr sixty miles.
In the Pottawattamie language Sangamon means plenty to eat. Long before the white man came west the Indians realized that the soil in this region was unusually fertile and productive.
Up to the 30th of July 1819, altho the state had been admitted to the union, the Kickapoo Indians were the rightful owners of all that scope of country lying south of the Kankakee river, east of tho Illinois rivar and north of a line dram fron the month of the Illinois river to the Wabash. This tract commrised within its limits the finost lands in the state, and the favorite hunting grounds of the :ichances which they claimed as their property by descent from their ancestors, and by conquest from the Illinois tribe of Indiane, with an uninterrupted possession of more than half a century.
The treaty by which they coded the above tract to the United States was made July 30, 1819 at Edwardsville, Illincis.
August Choteau and Benjamin Stere sor conducted the negotiations for the United States, while Pc-nc-a-tam, Te-na-sen, "ec-tat-ta. she-Loan, lawn-to-ho, and eighteen cikor dashy chiefs ord their wor- ricrs, with their plumes, beads, paint and ramrum, acting "for thes- Fileen Godhonour
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The Indians in Sangamon County.
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selves and their said tribe" reluctantly made their scrawls and merks to the instrument which gave up forever to the hated pale fecos their homes, hunting grounds, and the graves of their ancestors, twelve million six hundred thousand acres of land for the small sum of less than one-sixth of a cent per acre, and the promise of a permanent home beyond the Mississippi.
A large portion of this coded treet was Inown at that time as the Sangamon Country."
Between 1812 and 1820 many battles and skirmishes took place between the pioneer fathers and the red men in their struggles for possession of this country.
Sangamon county was organized in 1821 and was much smaller than the territory known as Sengamen Country. The county contains only 550,000 acres.
In the War of 1812 when the territorial governor, Hinian Edwards, led an army from Fort Russel ( near Edwardsville) to Peoria, he followed an old Indian trail. In the Journal of the State Historical Society, April to January 1911-12, Ir. Simri A. Enos statos that after entering the present boundary of Sangaben county this treil passed north thrcach the prairie between the timber lines of Brush Creek and Horse Creek, thon between South Fork and Sugar Creek, through Round Frairie, and across the Sangamon river between the mouths of Sugar Creek and South Fork; thence by Clear Lake and through the prairie to Buffalo Fort Grove; thence on the divide between the waters of Lake Fork on the east and Wolf Creek on the west, to Elkhart Grove and Fecria.
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The Indians in Sangamon County.
This trail lay a few miles east of Springfield, but not many years ago there were still traces of a trail coming into the city from the south-east which may have been a branch from the main treil. It led to a spring in what is now called Washington Fark, where the Indians had a camping ground.
The topography of Sangamon county is such that it must have been an ideal hunting and camping ground, and was, doubtless, the scene cf many interesting events in Indian history, but so far as known there are no records of particular events occurring within the present boundaries of the county, and no spots are marked by tablets or stones.
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Esteen Jochenan
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PETER CARTWRIGHT was born Sept. 1, 1785 in Amherst Co., Virginia.
In 1791 his father's family came west and settled in Kentucky. When scarcely sixteen years of age he was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal church. Soon after this he was authorized to hold religious meetings. He continued to preach for more than fifty years, and was the best known camp meeting preacher. It is estimated that he preached not less than 15,000 sermons.
In 1824 he brought his family to Sangamon Co., Illinois, and bought a small farm in a township that was afterward named in his honor.
He served two terms in the state legislature.
He died Sept. 25, 1872.
Eileen Hochamour
NINIAN WIRT EDWARDS, son of Governor Ninian Edwards, was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, April 15, 1809.
His boyhood was spent in Kaskaskia, Edwardsville, and Belleville. In 1833 he graduated from Transylvania University.
He came to Sangamon County in 1835, and in 1836 was elected to the legislature from Sangamon County as a colleague of Abraham Lincoln. In 1838 he was re-elected to the House, elected to the Senate in 1844, and again to the House in 1843.
He was a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1847. From 1854 to 1857 he served as State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
. He married Elizabeth P. Todd, sister of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln. He wrote "Life and Times of finian Edwards."
His death occurred in August, 1889.
Eten, Fechoune
COL. EDWARD DICKINSON BAKER was born Feb. 24, 1811, in London, England.
In 1815 his father's family came to America, landing in Phila- delphia. In 1826 the family came to Belleville, Illinois and in 1835 to Springfield.
He became a law partner of Stephen A. Logan.
He delivered the oration at the laying of the corner-stone of the Illinois State House, July 4, 1837.
In 1840 he was elected State Senator for four years, and was elected to Congress in 1845.
When the Mexican War broke out he raised a regiment which was accepted by the government as the 4th Ill. Infantry.
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In 1860 he went to Oregon to live and was elected U. S. Senator from that state.
He was a brilliant orator, and was the man who introduced Abraham Lincoln to the audience in Washington after he was inaug- urated.
He commanded a brigade at Ball's Bluff where he was killed in October, 1861.
Even Lochonon
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JOHN HAI, author, diplomat, and Secretary of State, was born in Salem, Ind., Cot. 8, 1838.
He graduated from Brown University in 1858, and studied lsw in Springfield, Ill., where he was admitted to practice in 1861. but immediately went to Washington as assistant private secretary to President Lincoln. .
After the assassination of the Irecident he served as secretary of Legetion in Faris and Madrid.
He was editor for a time of the Illinois State Journal at Spring- field, and a leading editorial writer for The New York Tribune.
His important literary works include "Castilian Days, " Pike County Ballads," and a ten-volume "History of the Life and Times of Abraham Lincoln."
In September 1898 he was appointed Secretary of State to fill the unexpired term of William 3. Day. He was re-appointed by Iresident Roosevelt and died in office July 1. 1905.
Elien Fichanow
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MRS. JESSIE PALMER WEBER is the daughter of General John M. Palmer, who served Illinois and the Nation in various public capac- ities for a period of fifty years as. Governor of the State, U. S. Senator, as Chairman of, or delegate to, important state and nation- al conventions, and as leader in some of the most important military operations in the country.
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